Thursday, 29 March 2007

Company Talks Update

TO ALL MEMBERS OF CEP LOCAL 592

The Wage Delegates met with the Company on Thursday, March 29 to discuss the proposal we presented to them on March 21.

The Company went through the proposal and outlined the changes they would like to see. In addition, they raised several issues we didn’t address and several other items that they had not really mentioned previously.

A number of the issues are very difficult to address and may preclude being able to reach an agreement.

However, the Wage Delegates will meet on Monday to review the Company’s requests and respond to them later next week.

Forget it. I voted for the discussions to take place, but there was a bit of a set agenda. Even the initial agenda was very unsettling, but to add more to the "regressive" list is not worth the committee wasting their time on.

The contract is up next year and that is when discussions need to take place. Save your funds.

does anybody accept someones first offer? keep the discussions ongoing and try to come to an agreement that works for everyone like we voted our executive to do. the other alternative is to just keep fighting with the company and not come to a resulution and drive costs up and shut it all down.the workers in gold river and port alice and prince rupert as well as prince albert to name a few probably never thought there mills would shut either.

Not negotiating locally.Ron Buchhorn is calling the shots. Really, has there ever been any negotiating during this process? There is no process. Never has been one!! It takes two willing parties to negotiate!! Look at what Powell River has done. They will not accept anything less in Port Alberni!! Check out their union web site. They are rolling over.The company is trying to make the union membership feel like they have some say in the final outcome. They know what is acceptable and will try to strategically steer the union in that direction. Therefore, the union can save face.They will play the membership like a fiddle by wording the agreement strategically. Playing each special interest group against each other!!

I too think that we are being played. It was very clear from the start that the " Company " was just going to keep adding to there list.I think the wage deligates should meet on monday like they have agreed to do, and in no uncertain terms, tell them that we are not here to be played with, and if they want to give members of this union a way to leave with some form of dignity,and let other people work,they need to stop the bullshit and hand out what they said they would from the start with only a few concessions in the local agreements.Other than that, the delagates should tell them this isn't Mexico and they should piss off.

Its sad that it has come to this, however this industry along with our geographic location gives our mill little room for negotiation. There isn't much bargaining room when they play mill against mill. Port Alberni costs are high because of our location. This management is bent on hell or high water that they will reduce manning no matter what to get to top quartile to make this mill run or it will be shut down. A catch 22 situation for the membership old and young. This divisions management is going to reduce the manning regardless whether we discuss proposals or not. Right now its a bigger win for the company than it is for us unless you are a young to 55 year old employee looking for a living.

It makes me sick that it comes to this type of tactics that create poor moral, anymosity and in some cases hatred.

All I can say, is keep at it and thank God we don't have a union executive like our brothers local 686

Okay, let's keep the name calling away from this forum, please. One of the things that I would stand up strongly for is the autonomy of each Local. If the membership of 686 chooses not to talk to the company, that is their right and privilege and I respect their decision. By the same token, I would hope they respected our decision, whether or not we are able to find an agreement.

We do have the right to disagree with each other's opinions and decisions, but let's do it in a civil manner and remember that we have way more in common with our brothers and sisters in other locals than we do, or ever will, with management.